Spaghetti squash is an excellent option for low-carb diets and the Instant Pot makes it a snap to cook. It's ready in as little as 7 minutes and lends itself to a variety of flavor combinations—plus, there's no need to peel the squash!

The sage brown butter sauce is wonderful with the spaghetti squash, but feel free to use a simple Parmesan cream sauce or Alfredo sauce with chopped basil or parsley for color. For a hearty "spaghetti" dinner, serve the squash with your favorite Italian-style meat sauce.

Steps to Make It

Cut the squash in half crosswise and chop the sage leaves. Cut the garlic clove in half. With the flat side of the knife—the sharp edge facing away from you—crush the halves lightly.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

With a spoon, scoop the seeds out of the squash halves. Place the halves on a trivet in the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water to the pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the water and sprinkle the squash with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Secure the lid and turn the steam pressure knob to the sealing position. Choose the pressure cook function (high) and set the timer for 7 minutes. It will take approximately 10 minutes to reach high pressure.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the butter.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Cook the butter and garlic mixture, swirling the pan occasionally until the foaming subsides and the solids are golden brown. Add the chopped sage and remove the butter from the heat.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

When the Instant Pot time is up, carefully move the pressure release knob to the venting position for a quick release. Remove the halves and use a fork to scrape out the strands.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Add the squash to the hot brown butter mixture and toss to coat the strands thoroughly. Taste and add salt as needed.